Improvement in frames for gathering skirts



upper edge of the plate.

UNITED STATES ArENr rErcE.

I. M. nosa, or NEW vonk, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRAMES FOR GATHEPLING SKIRTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,9L, dated March 21, 1865.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, lsRAEL M. Rosin, in the city, county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Frames for Gathering Skirts 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a frame made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, a portion of a skirt being shown gathered upon it. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views of parts of the frame on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in constructing a circular frame, which may be adjusted to different diameters, and upon which, by means of an elastic cord, the upper ends of a skirt of aladys dress can be held while it is being laid in plaits, and the skirt can also be gathered by subjecting it to the shirrin g action of the elastic cord. v

A is a metal plate, bent in a circular form, and whose ends overlap, (more or less,) according to the diameter to be given to the skirt to be plaited on it. A hook, G, projects from one end of it and takes into one of a series of holes made in the other end in order to keep the ends in place. A groove, F, is made on the outer face of the plate, on such a line as to leave a wider margin between the bottom of the groove and the lower edge of the plate than between the top of the groove and the Since the groove has a tendency to stiffen the plate, and since it is desirable that the plate be very flexible in order to use it with facility, I make numerous slits a across the groove throughout its whole course.

E is a movable clasp, whose arms iit closely over the edges of the plate, but not so closely as to prevent it from being moved along to different positions on the plate by the hand. One end of an elastic cord is secured to this clasp in an eye projecting downward therefrom into the groove F. Vhen tension is made on the cord, the pull on the clasp is in an angular direction, so as to make it grip the plate more tightly.

I is a rod, secured to the face of the plate near the place of the hook G and extending across the groove F. A latch, O, whose free edge is notched in the middle of its length, is made to swing upon the rod I as upon a hinge. The-latch is of such a width as not to be able to swiu gthrou gh the groove, but it compresses the cord between its edge and the bottom of the groove and thereby clamps it.

I) is a clamp, which has one straight side and one bent side, the latter conforming to the swell of the groove, which it embraces when applied to the frame, as seen in Fig. 4. The edge ofthe skirt to be plaited is held between the plate and cord, being depressed into the groove F, as seen in Fig. 2.

The manner of using and operating the frame is as follows: The frame is opened and fitted to the waist of the person whose dressskirt is to be made, and the size noted on the frame by means of a scale made thereon, (not here shown,) or by any other convenient method. It is then removed from the waist, and its ends are hooked together, or otherwise secured, (if other means are preferred to a hook,) at the place indicated for the size of the waist or top part ofthe skirt. The elastic cord is then drawn closelyin the groove about the frame and fastened under the latch C, as seen in Fig. 2. The top edge of the skirt to be made is then inserted beneath the cord, and the operator, holding the frame in the position shown in Fig. 2, supported between the knees, or in any other convenient way, with the latch C nearest the person7 proceeds to lay the plaits upon the face ofthe frame, where they are held as fast as made by the cord, whose flexibility allows it to be raised, so that the'operator has no trouble in disposing the plaits.

The continuation of this process about the frame causes the skirt to be regularly and evenly plaited or disposed about it at the eX- act measure of the waist. The edge of the dress is then secured further to the frame by passing pins or clamps, like D, over it and over the elastic cord. Several such clamps are to be used around the frame, but I have here shown only one as an example. The ends of the frame are then unhooked or disconnected, and the trame is again fitted to the Waist of the person to be tted, to ascertain the true length of the skirt. It is next removed from the Waist, and the plaits are then basted or secured together permanently, after which the skirt is removed from the frame and is ready to be attached to the boddice or body of the dress.

W'hen a skirt is not to be plaited, but is to be gathered, it is placed beneath the cord in the same Way7 when the part which lies to the right ofthe clasp F is pulled smooth upon the face ofthe frame for a little distance and the cord is raised and stretched and then brought down upon the stuft, when, on letting go of the cord, it will, on resuming its normal condition, carry the stuff along and gather it up or pucker it after the manner of a shirr. This action may be repeated from place to place about the frame until the Whole circuit ofthe skirt is gathered.

tic cord B, or any equivalent means of holding the plaits and gathers of a skirt in place, substantially as abovel described.

3. The clamp D, one or more, in combination with the said frame, for the purpose of holding the skirt thereon, constructed and applied substantially as above described.

I. M. ROSE.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, C. L. TOPLIFF. 

